The semesters are divided into four block modules of four weeks each, giving you the opportunity to devote yourself intensively to a specific subject area for three weeks. In the three weeks, you will deepen the knowledge you have acquired in the lectures by way of parallel seminars and practical courses. The modules conclude with an examination on the Friday of the fourth lecture week. The block periods are organized uniformly in the Faculties of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Sciences, which allows you to design your schedule of modules in an interdisciplinary manner. The block periods largely coincide with the regular lecture period, so that you have no other obligations during the lecture-free period and can organize it as you wish.

You can find information about the individual modules in the module catalog.

In your first semester at
... you will brush up on and expand the scientific and technological basics in the compulsory modules tailored to them in order to develop an in-depth understanding of food processing.
At the same time, you will acquire scientific methodological skills. This includes state-of-the-art chemical, physical, and molecular methods, statistical procedures for data evaluation, techniques for modelling and simulating reactions and for the digital mapping of processes. You will apply the knowledge you have gained in internships. In seminars, you will deal with sustainable food production in a scientific, technological, and economic context.

In the second and third semesters
... you have the freedom to design your studies according to your individual interests, to take a broad approach, or to specialize. You will deepen your acquired knowledge and expand your practical skills in elective modules with an analytical, technical, and/or data science focus.

The monthly block modules give you the flexibility to complete a semester abroad or individual modules at one of our excellent partner universities or to work on a project in the research and development department of German and foreign companies. Project work at the Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology will introduce you to our current research projects. The best preparation for your Master’s thesis at the end of your studies.

In your Master’s thesis  ...
, which you will write in one of our 11 departments, you will have the opportunity to work in a team on current, experimental research projects. This will enable you to contribute your acquired knowledge and ideas, expand your practical skills and abilities, and thus make your contribution to innovation and sustainability in food science.

You want to find out more?
For detailed information on the timescale and structure of your studies, you can find this on this page in the Downloads section.

Study objectives

As a “Hohenheim food scientist and biologist,” you will be able to:

• make production processes for traditional food and new food (more) sustainable (energy and water, side streams)
• take a holistic view of production processes
• select technologies and evaluate them, obtain recyclables from side streams, and close loops
• integrate alternative raw material sources into existing product groups and production processes
• efficiently extract functional compounds from plant and animal raw materials, modify them enzymatically and/or stabilize them by encapsulation
• accompany the product development cycle holistically, i.e. select and establish suitable analysis tools for quality requirements for the initial, intermediate, and end product, select the necessary process steps and equipment, manufacture initial prototypes, and finally implement the production process.
• On troubleshooting: If things don't work, systematically analyze the error and initiate corrective measures.